Ukraine fears weapons supplies will be halted during the US government shutdown

Talks on US military assistance to Ukraine were halted after the US government shutdown on October 1, raising concerns that arms shipments from the US to Ukraine would be delayed.

Hundreds of thousands of US federal workers have been furloughed, starting on October 1, after Democrats and Republicans failed to reach a spending deal.

A day earlier, on September 30, a Ukrainian delegation had arrived in Washington to meet with White House officials to hammer out a deal on sharing drone technology.

However, the talks have been thrown into limbo as federal workers have been furloughed.

“I don’t know how things will continue,” a Ukrainian government source told the Telegraph. “Our main concern is discussions on future arms shipments.”

“All future projects are somewhat affected, as officials from the Pentagon, the State Department and the White House are unable to meet.”

The source added that “other Ukrainian delegations scheduled to visit the US in the coming weeks are now reviewing their plans.”

The potential drone deal, which could be worth billions of dollars, would mark a major turning point in the security relationship between Washington and Kiev.

The US signed off on a $500 million aid package for Ukraine last month, the first since Mr Trump returned to office, using funds from NATO member states. It is unclear whether the shipment will be affected by the government shutdown.

The cancellation of talks between Ukrainian and US officials has raised concerns about a breakdown in bilateral ties as Kiev continues to suffer heavy losses on the battlefield.

Meanwhile, aid groups have warned that Ukraine could face “Russian attacks” of “unprecedented intensity” as the US government shuts down.

“We are currently witnessing an unprecedented Russian attack on Ukraine, and Ukraine needs a constant supply of new weapons to repel these large-scale attacks,” said Yuriy Boyechko, CEO of Hope for Ukraine. “The US government shutdown sends a very bad signal that could undermine European security, as both Europe and Ukraine rely heavily on US weapons to counter Russia.”